Rain Washed
by Grey Mustang
Summary: ONESHOT. When Lily starts dating Remus James thinks he has lost all hope until he finds Lily alone crying her heart out by the lake at night in the pouring rain. And who better to talk to about it than the person that created the problem?


**Disclaimer: I do not own anything yada yada yada. As of yet :) lol, just kidding.  
**

James Potter, Marauder, school hottie, Gryffindor 7th year, loyal friend and all around nice guy, lay awake listening, to the battering rain against the window. Hazel eyes staring lost in thought, at the closed door of his dorm.

Even though his arm encircled the bare shoulders of a sleeping beauty by his side, he didn't feel the least bit of satisfaction.

Slipping from the crimson sheets of the bed that had held him captivated for hours that night, he slipped a pair of grey tracksuit pants over the green silk boxers he wore.

Opening the trunk that lay at the end of the four-poster bed gently, as not to wake the peaceful blonde in the bed, he found the map in the very bottom of his collection of junk.

Sitting in a dark corner of the dorm, furthest from his own bed, he stared down at each segment of the map, his wand lighting it with a dim, golden light.

He found that his best mate, Sirius Black, had succeeded in finding an empty classroom and his spot was moving feverishly around with another marked Chloe Tasman.

"Way to go Padfoot," he chuckled quietly to himself.

Unfolding the map bit by bit he recognised other familiar names, either in bed or up to other business. He couldn't help but wonder what one Peter Pettigrew could be doing up so late all alone wondering the same corridor over and over.

Though he wasn't the least surprised when he found Remus Lupin was in the common room. For that was where he had asked his bright friend to stay, giving him a 'moment' alone with his girlfriend.

He was surprised, however, to find that Remus Lupin's lovely girlfriend was not with him, nor in her dorm. Ignoring his curiosity to wonder down the stairs and ask Remus where Lily could be, he continued his scan of Hogwarts map.

When he reached the grounds he found that they were not as empty as he had suspected. There was but one lonely dot marked Lily Evans sitting by itself sitting by the bank of the squid inhabited lake.

This time James Potter let his curiosity get the best of him. Grabbing the translucent cloak and tucking the map under one arm, he slipped out the door unnoticed.

Once hearing the click of the lock back in place he continued to move on down the staircase as silent as possible. Reaching the common room he paused seeing his sandy haired friends sleeping body in front of the fire.

"Sorry Mooney," he whispered under his breath before escaping through the portrait hole.

Stepping lightly down a corridor and trying to even his quick, shallow breaths, he spotted Peter leaned against a wall. The short blonde boy was shaking his head and murmuring under his breath as he stared sadly down at a tattoo he bare on his wrist.

James thought he heard him sigh, "What have I gotten myself into?" but he dismissed it as he was on a mission to seek a young maiden in distress.

He passed the classroom that Sirius and Chloe occupied. How he knew it was this particular room was because of the scratching sounds of desks and chairs being moved and the heavy breathing coming from within.

Not really wanting to what was going on behind the sealed door he kept his thoughts on the subject of the red head who remained outside by the lake, according to the map.

Stepping out into the cold chill of rain, James wished he had thought to put a shirt on, and then wondered how he managed to not think of doing so.

The rain was pelting down so hard he could only manage to see a few metres in front of himself at a time. Though, he managed to work his way around to the lake sight or no sight. He knew these grounds like the back of his hand.

He could now see the red flaming curls of Lily Evans' head and the shaking form of her body. At first sight you would think she was shaking from the cold. Anyone would be if they were sitting alone on a stormy night in England.

But when James was close enough, so close that he could make out each individual crease in the black skirt that crumpled beneath her fine legs as she knelt on the wet grass and mud, he could see that her vigorous shaking was due to her heavy crying.

"Why would a girl that lived a life with everything she could ever dream of, be crying alone in a rain storm?" though James out loud. He was surprised that Lily had heard him over the rain, as she turned to see the voices speaker.

Not seeing whom it was she turned back to look at the million ripples the rain was creating across the surface of the black water.

"I cry because I do not have everything I could dream of," she answered, "I cry because as much as my boyfriend loves me I cannot love him back. I cry because I lost my chance with the person I truly love."

James felt his heart sink. How could Lily not love Remus? She declared her hidden love for him only a month ago. And as much as he wanted her all to himself, he would rather prefer her to be with someone he trusted and knew that with someone he didn't know would handle her with the love and respect she deserved.

"He loved me and tried to prove it. But I was so afraid that he would break my heart that I denied my own love. And now that he has given up on me, it's broken anyway," Lily sniffed out trying to stop her shaking shoulders.

She turned to try and see the mysterious voice that she had poured out her grief to. But she only saw the endless grey of the pouring rain. She didn't realise that what she was looking at was through James Potter as he looked down at her sadness dwelling in his eyes.

He stared into her reddened, emerald eyes. And even though her face was soaked with rain, he could still make out the tearstains that ran down her smooth cheeks. Even in this state of despair he was watching her in. James still couldn't help but think she was the most beautiful thing on the planet.

"Who are you?" Lily chocked still looking into the rain. Slowly removing the cloak James kept his eyes locked onto hers the whole time.

Lily's eyes widened as she looked away embarrassed. She had just told the person she was crying over why she was crying.

Still clutching the cloak and map in one hand, James knelt behind Lily and did what he had been wanting to do his whole years at Hogwarts. He wrapped his arms around Lily's slim, pale figure and held on tight.

He stayed silent for a moment listening to the sound of Lily's sharp breaths and the rain betting down on the ground and water. He then leant his head round so that he was able to see the side of her face and spoke softly and wisely.

"If this boy ever gave up on you, and was blind enough not to see the feelings you tried to hide from him. Then he is not worth your tears, no matter how convinced you are that he was the one for you."

Lily took a deep shaky breath as the warm breath of James tickled her ear. Normally she would have slapped him by now, called him an arrogant name and stalked off. But tonight was not a normal night.

She thought of how ironic it was that James was the one to be speaking these words to her, seeing as he was the boy so blind as not to see her hidden feelings and the one who so recently gave up on her.

She did not speak a word of this though and let him hold her in his arms. She felt warmer and more sheltered against the cold sting of the rain. And she felt safe, as though nothing in the world could ever hurt her again.

For five minutes they both sat in silence letting the rain soak their hair and clothes. After the five minutes past Lily spoke gingerly, "But I can't."

"Can't what?" James asked, his tone still quiet and soothing.

"Love Remus."

"Give me a good reason why you shouldn't," James said a hint of his confidence in the sentence.

Lily was silent before she put her arms up to his arms and turned so that she was looking strait into the hazel eyes of her protector.

"Because I love you," she said it slowly letting the words sink into the meaning of everything they meant.

She leant forward hesitantly, as did James, until their lips met.

It may have been one of the wettest nights of James Potter's life. But it had been the best. The night that Lily Evans had told him she loved him, it had sent fireworks off in his head, heart, stomach and lips.

As each second past the kiss became for deep and more passionate. James had forgotten all meaning to the rest of his life. All that mattered now was Lily.

* * *

Back up at the castel a sandy haired boy looked out over the banks of the river and smiled sadly. He thought about how he had believed for a while, that she might actually love him the way he had loved her.

But deep down he knew, that no one could have ever loved Lily the way his best friend James Potter did.

An exhausted looking Sirius entered the room and looked curiously at Remus by the window.

"What you looking at?"

"James and Lily," Remus said smiling a little more brightly.

Sirius walked across the littered room and peered out the window to see to blurs through the rain. One dark, the other easier to see thanks to the red hair.

"Bout time!" he said loudly taking of a sweaty looking shirt and jumping onto his bed.

"I agree," Remus laughed quietly as he took one more look out the window to watch as James wiped the red strands of hair out of Lily's eyes before leaning in to kiss her tenderly again.

**A/N: Thank you for reading. This IS a one shot. I will NOT be continueing it. But please do review and tell me what you think of it :)**


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